Jacob Markstrom is not seeking a trade from the Calgary Flames ahead of the NHL trade deadline next month. But he also appears unconcerned if the Flames are considering moving him.
“It’s up to Calgary, what they want to do,” Markstrom told Sportsnet on Thursday. “I don’t control it.”
However, that’s not entirely true. The 34-year-old goalie has a no-move clause in the six-year, $36 million contract ($6 million AAV) he signed with the Flames on Oct. 9, 2020. So, even if the Flames worked out a trade with an interested team, Markstrom would have to sign off on it.
“When they send an email that I’ve got to sign something to remove my no-move clause, then it’s a different conversation we’ve gotta have,” Markstrom explained.
With talented rookie goalie Dustin Wolf waiting in the wings, the Flames could consider trading Markstrom, who’s ranked No. 23 on Sportsnaut’s top 25 trade NHL trade candidates. This is especially so with the Flames sixth in the Pacific Division and three points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.
Markstrom is 15-13-2 with a 2.55 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and two shutouts in 30 starts this season. He’s sixth in the NHL among goalies who’ve played 30 games in save percentage and seventh in GAA. He’s won 207 NHL games in his career.
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Trading Jacob Markstrom no easy task for Flames
But it’d be difficult for a contender to thread the needle and acquire him before the deadline. Markstrom still has two seasons to go on his not-cheap contract.
Still, it would appear that the New Jersey Devils, who desperately need a No. 1 goalie, would have interest. Ditto for New Jersey’s Metropolitan Division rival, the Philadelphia Flyers, who are without Carter Hart for the foreseeable future after he faced charges for a 2018 sexual assault when a member of Team Canada. Would the Toronto Maple Leafs put in a call? How about the Los Angeles Kings?
As for the trade rumors, Markstrom, said he’s got a simple strategy.
“I don’t read.”